After Grey Wolf
by Pulsar
Summary: I can't describe this...it has to do with the fight between Tiger and Grey Wolf, obviously, and it's from Hare's POV...but...it's very dark, and has a tragic twist of fate built into it...


I don't own Monster Rancher.

I'm not certain just what I was thinking when I started work on this. I mean, there are so many different stories involving the whole Tiger/Grey Wolf thing out there already! …I guess I just have a thing about writing moody, sad stories. Hopefully this will never happen….

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Well, Tiger, I have to admit it. You finally managed to pull one over on me. You had me and the others completely fooled all this time, you old dog. None of us had any idea that you would do this…

I wonder if you're feeling proud of yourself right now, Tiger. You finally managed to trick the trickster, the 'money-grubbing furball,' as you always called me. I bet you're really happy right now, since you don't have to put up with me anymore. You're finally free…

I should have seen this coming. I should have known what you were up to before the idea even occurred to you. I should have been able to stop you, damnit!

Jeez…I'm really losing my cool over this, aren't I? You're probably really enjoying this, how you made me completely forget myself by doing just one thing. And to think: you didn't even have to attack me this time, at least not physically.

There were so many thing that I never noticed before, signs that should have warned me about just what you were up to. Funny how you always notice these things after it's too late. It doesn't really matter anymore, so why do I even keep thinking about it? It's over, you've already done what you were planning to do, I should just move on with my life, shouldn't I?

But I can't. Goddess knows I've tried, but I can't stop thinking about what happened. Does that surprise you, Tiger? You always figured that all I care about is money, so are you surprised to learn that I'm not as self-centered as you thought?

You're the self-centered one, Tiger of the Wind. You're the one who really didn't care about the rest of us, or at least not enough to ever show it. And in the end, you turned your back on us and did something solely for yourself, not giving a damn about how the rest of us would cope.

Want to know how well we're coping? To put it bluntly, we're not. Everyone's still in shock over your betrayal, especially Genki. If you could see how the kid's been moping around, Tiger, you'd feel like a real asshole. You are an asshole, damnit.

The kid's acting like all the energy's been drained out of him. Oh, sure, he tries to keep up his "I'm Mister Energy" routine, trying to keep the rest of us motivated, but it's obvious that his heart's not really in it anymore. What you did left him at a real loss, and Mocchi's not doing much better. None of us are. Poor Holly's been doing everything she can think of to keep the rest of us motivated, trying to hold this group together. It's been hard, but we just might be able to pull through this, even if it's just the need for somebody to find the Phoenix that keeps us going.

It's pathetic. You really killed something in Genki's spirit when you betrayed us, Tiger. Or did that matter to you? Does any of this really matter at all to you?

I have to admit, though, Tiger; your timing was perfect. We were all so exhausted after the battle with Grey Wolf; you were the only one with any energy left. You knew that there was no possible way that we'd be able to stop you. You just charged up your Lightning…and then…

Damn, oh damn, Tiger. I know you hated having to murder your own brother, but why the hell did you have to go and kill yourself too? Why the hell did you have to commit suicide?

"Hey Hare, we're leaving," Holly's voice called from some distance away. "Come on, hurry up."

Hare took one last look at the lost disc before him, tears misting his wavering brown eyes. A cold breeze ruffled his fur, brushing the tears off of his cheeks. After a moment, he turned and walked toward the others, never looking back at the disc, leaving it behind.


End file.
